? The Trinidad and Tobago Civil Rights Association (TTCRA) has filed an appeal before the Environmental Commission, appealing the decisions of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) which issued a final terms of reference in favour of the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) to go head with the Rapid Rail Project from Westmoorings to Chaguanas.
A final terms of reference is part of the statutory process for the grant of a Certificate of Environmental Clearance. NIDCO, on behalf of the Government of T&T, applied for a Certificate of Environmental Clearance for the Rapid Rail Project and the EMA approved both the draft terms of reference and the final terms of reference without any consultation with members of the public.
The EMA granted the draft terms of reference on December 2, 2009, and the final terms of reference on the December, 24, 2009. Neither the EMA nor NIDCO had any meetings in the villages of Cunupia, Esmeralda, Welcome, Campo and other areas in Central Trinidad through which the rapid rail would pass.
The TTCRA has filed this appeal in the public interest together with Tyrone David Jerome, who is a farmer in the Cunupia area.
Acting on behalf of the association are Senior Counsel, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Dr Rajendra Ramlogan, Marina Narinesingh and Vijaya Maharaj. The relief which is being sought is that the granting of permission of the draft terms of reference and the final terms of reference, are null and void and of no effect on the ground that those decisions are illegal, procedurally improper and irrational, since the members of the public who would be adversely affected by such decision had a right to be consulted.